Glazed Duck With Clementine Sauce

Serves: 3

Eloise Gerhold

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

63

Spice

50

Sweetness

50

Sourness

41

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.9

Difficulty

Ingredients:

2 tbsps

Kosher Salt

1.5 tbsps

Arrowroot

Directions:

1

Braise ducks: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

2

Working from large cavity end, separate duck skin (including fat) from breast meat as much as possible by working your fingers between skin and meat, being careful not to tear skin, then prick skin all over ducks with a fork

3

Put ducks, breast sides up, side by side in a large flameproof roasting pan and rub each duck inside and out with kosher salt

4

Divide onions and celery between duck cavities and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar around ducks

5

Pour enough boiling-hot water over ducks (to help tighten skin) to reach about halfway up ducks (don't fill roasting pan more than 1 inch from rim)

6

Cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil, then carefully transfer to oven and braise ducks 1 hour

7

Remove pan from oven and remove foil (do not discard), then carefully turn ducks over (breast sides down) using one large wooden spoon to turn and another inside cavity

8

Cover with foil, then carefully return to oven and braise until meat is very tender but not falling off the bone, about 1 hour more

9

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

10

Working from large cavity end, separate duck skin (including fat) from breast meat as much as possible by working your fingers between skin and meat, being careful not to tear skin, then prick skin all over ducks with a fork

11

Put ducks, breast sides up, side by side in a large flameproof roasting pan and rub each duck inside and out with kosher salt

12

Divide onions and celery between duck cavities and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar around ducks

13

Pour enough boiling-hot water over ducks (to help tighten skin) to reach about halfway up ducks (don't fill roasting pan more than 1 inch from rim)

14

Cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil, then carefully transfer to oven and braise ducks 1 hour

15

Remove pan from oven and remove foil (do not discard), then carefully turn ducks over (breast sides down) using one large wooden spoon to turn and another inside cavity

16

Cover with foil, then carefully return to oven and braise until meat is very tender but not falling off the bone, about 1 hour more

17

Chill ducks: Remove pan from oven and discard foil

18

Transfer ducks with wooden spoons to 2 large plates, draining any juices inside ducks back into pan, then transfer cooking liquid to a large bowl

19

Return ducks to roasting pan, breast sides up, and cool ducks and cooking liquid (separately), uncovered, then chill, uncovered, at least 4 hours (to firm up duck before roasting and to solidify fat on cooking liquid)

20

Remove pan from oven and discard foil

21

Transfer ducks with wooden spoons to 2 large plates, draining any juices inside ducks back into pan, then transfer cooking liquid to a large bowl

22

Return ducks to roasting pan, breast sides up, and cool ducks and cooking liquid (separately), uncovered, then chill, uncovered, at least 4 hours (to firm up duck before roasting and to solidify fat on cooking liquid)

23

Prepare glaze and start sauce: Discard all fat from chilled cooking liquid

24

Remove zest from 2 large or 4 small clementines in strips with a vegetable peeler, then trim any white pith from zest with a sharp paring knife and cut zest into fine julienne strips

25

Blanch strips in a small saucepan of boiling water 5 minutes, then drain

26

Squeeze enough juice from remaining clementines to measure 2 cups and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a 3-quart heavy saucepan

27

Add vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup (glaze will bubble up and darken), about 15 minutes

28

Reserve 1 tablespoon glaze in a cup to brush on ducks, then stir julienned zest and 1 cup cooking liquid into glaze remaining in pan and reserve for sauce

29

Reserve remaining cooking liquid

30

Discard all fat from chilled cooking liquid

31

Remove zest from 2 large or 4 small clementines in strips with a vegetable peeler, then trim any white pith from zest with a sharp paring knife and cut zest into fine julienne strips

32

Blanch strips in a small saucepan of boiling water 5 minutes, then drain

33

Squeeze enough juice from remaining clementines to measure 2 cups and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a 3-quart heavy saucepan

34

Add vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup (glaze will bubble up and darken), about 15 minutes

35

Reserve 1 tablespoon glaze in a cup to brush on ducks, then stir julienned zest and 1 cup cooking liquid into glaze remaining in pan and reserve for sauce

36

Reserve remaining cooking liquid

37

Roast ducks and finish sauce: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F

38

Roast ducks until skin is crisp, 25 to 35 minutes

39

Brush reserved glaze (from cup) on ducks, then transfer ducks to a platter and let stand while finishing sauce, at least 10 minutes

40

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from roasting pan and straddle pan over 2 burners

41

Add shallot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened and pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes

42

Add 2 cups reserved cooking liquid and deglaze pan by boiling, scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes, then pour through fine-mesh sieve into sauce (containing julienned zest) and bring to a boil

43

Stir together liqueur and arrowroot and whisk into sauce

44

Simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, then season sauce with salt and pepper

45

Serve ducks, whole or carved into serving pieces, with sauce

46

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F

47

Roast ducks until skin is crisp, 25 to 35 minutes

48

Brush reserved glaze (from cup) on ducks, then transfer ducks to a platter and let stand while finishing sauce, at least 10 minutes

49

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from roasting pan and straddle pan over 2 burners

50

Add shallot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened and pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes

51

Add 2 cups reserved cooking liquid and deglaze pan by boiling, scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes, then pour through fine-mesh sieve into sauce (containing julienned zest) and bring to a boil

52

Stir together liqueur and arrowroot and whisk into sauce

53

Simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, then season sauce with salt and pepper

54

Serve ducks, whole or carved into serving pieces, with sauce